Category: Personal Discipleship

January 31 2024

Return to The Word

A. Scott Ingram Bible Study, Christian Life, Gospel Leadership, Personal Discipleship, Spiritual Disciplines Bible, Bible Study, Jesus, Scripture, Word of God 0

One of the most significant calls on my life as an apostolic leader in a small corner of the church is not to lead leaders or plant churches. It is to make disciples.

I love discipleship. I love helping believers in Jesus learn to “grow up” in Him (Ephesians 4:15). After all, the goal of discipleship is to become like Him in the maturity of our faith and through a transformed life.

The problem with discipleship is that it is often a slow process and never a straight line from lost sinner to mature saint. There are, of course, significant leaps forward that people take. There are also seasons of baby steps and seasons of stumbling backward.

A true disciple-maker knows that although some seasons may be discouraging, the fruit of following the Holy Spirit and helping someone grow in Christ is a delight and will come with eternal rewards.

However, the challenge for us in 2024 is that with modern information technology, including instant access to everything on our smartphones and the immediate and effortless knowledge base provided by AI technology, it has become increasingly tedious to walk someone slowly and patiently through personal transformation.

We live in an age where a few moments of digital exploration can deliver almost anything humanity has ever known to us. While this is majorly beneficial in many aspects of life, it also increases our temptation of Christians to fall into the Renaissance-era foundations of modernity, believing that knowledge of truth alone is the goal. This is modern-day Christian Gnosticism.

We have thousands of self-proclaimed theologians who never even crack open the Bible because they, instead, have read every book and received endless teachings about the Bible, and they believe that is enough.

In the same way, we have self-proclaimed Christians who have learned so much about Jesus – through TikTok preachers and social media memes – yet they do not know Jesus! They never pray. They never wait on Him in the presence of the Holy Spirit. They know all about Jesus but don’t have time to slow down and get to know Him personally.

That is not, and cannot, be considered discipleship!

Jesus gave a two-part mandate to some of the early Jewish believers who followed Him in John 8:31-32:

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'”

The first part of this mandate is: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

The Greek word here is “logos,” which can mean either “word” or “message.” Jesus was telling these Jewish believers that to be His disciples, they not only had to know the scriptures but also conform their thinking and faith to His understanding of the scriptures.

Jesus was a Rabbi in the Jewish culture. Being a disciple of any particular Rabbi meant that you would live with them, learn from them directly, observe their walk of life, and conform your own lifestyle according to that Rabbi’s interpretation of the scriptures.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t tell them they must “know my word.” He said you must “abide” in it. This distinction gives us clarity on how the mandate is to be received.

The Greek word for “abide” is “menō,” which means “remain, stay, reside,” and, in some uses, is translated as “wait.” When Jesus says His disciples must “abide” in His word, it implies we must intentionally and continually live in His word and live out His word.

Jesus was not offering an instant transfer of His message from the Bible to their brains before moving on to something else. We are not transformed by what we know. We are transformed by what we continually and diligently focus on and meditate on. (Romans 12:2)

This leads to the second part of Jesus’ mandate: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

At a surface level, this seems to imply that our freedom in Christ comes from our knowledge of the truth. Therefore, we could assume, as do many in our culture, that the more truth you know, the freer you should be. The problem is that a mental understanding of the truth of God’s word has never actually set anyone free from the power of sin, death, and the devil. Just ask the Jewish people!

The nation of Israel had the sole revelation of God’s word in the Old Testament, which God had revealed over thousands of years through Moses and the prophets. They built their whole culture around these scriptures, and their scholars knew every “jot and tittle” of the law. Yet transformation into God’s righteousness never came to the nation, nor the individual Jewish people.

Paul makes this case repeatedly in the book of Romans when He speaks of “the law,” which refers to the Teachings of Moses in the first five books of the Bible:

“For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)

Paul is saying that no knowledge of the law cannot transform you. All it can do is show you how deeply lost you are by revealing your sinfulness.

So what’s the point?

Jesus says if you will abide in My word, or “My understanding and teaching of the word,” then you are “My disciple.” But when you do that, He says that something else will happen that has never happened to any other disciple of any other Rabbi. Others only taught “knowledge” of the scriptures and a legalistic dedication to self-discipline. Jesus said that when you abide in “My word,” you will know the truth, and this truth will actually set you free from sin’s power and to live righteously before God.

So what makes this different?

Without spending too much time explaining the Greek language here, let me give you my summary of what Jesus says: “If you put your faith in My teaching, and you make it your goal to live continually in what I reveal to you, you will have an intimate experience with the only truth there is, and it will reshape your reality, setting you free.”

So, what ” truth ” would we encounter that sets us free? It is Jesus Himself!

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6)

Jesus’ message regarding the purpose of the scriptures was always that they would point people to Himself.

In John 5, Jesus tells the religious leaders of Israel that although they think they know the scriptures, something is missing in how they approach them. They do not honestly know the God of the scriptures, nor does God’s word “abide” in them (transforming and saving them), because they ignore all the evidence that the scriptures point to Jesus directly! (John 5:37-40)

He tells these scholars, without mincing words, that their theological studies are fruitless to save them because they are not leading to faith or a transforming encounter with Him!

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:30-40)

In contrast, whenever Jesus covertly approached the disciples on the road to Emmaus, after His resurrection, the Bible tells us that “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). When later recounting this event, though they didn’t recognize Him personally in that moment, they knew something deeper was going on than just hearing a sermon. Something inside them was being drawn to Him. “They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?'” (Luke 24:32)

For Scriptures to be rightly known, they must lead us to know Him!

So, what does all of this have to do with discipleship?

My point is that while you can gain all the possible knowledge there is about the scriptures — about God, about Jesus, about His saving grace, about the Holy Spirit — it will not be enough to make you a disciple of Christ, nor will it set you free from sin, death, and the devil.

You cannot just know about these things. You must abide deeply in the Word of God with faith, expecting it to lead you deeper in your relationship with Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit so that you can know the reality of the Gospel and be set free.

If you do not abide in the Word of God, being transformed by the power He provides, then you are not His disciple. You are not saved. You are not born again. You are not free. You are deceived, just like the Jewish leaders were for centuries.

We live in a world that believes information is power. The more you know, the more data you collect, the more information at your disposal, the more power you are believed to have. Yet Jesus says it is not information that matters. It is intimate, personal, relational knowledge of the Truth: Him.

We cannot be discipled by 90-second TikTok videos. We cannot grow in Christ through memes and algorithmic revelation. We reach maturity in Him daily – slowly and tediously – by studying His revelation in scripture and asking Him to enlighten our minds and hearts to come closer to Him. As we get close to Him, we will become like Him! (2 Corinthians 3:8) As we become like Him, we will be set free from the grip of sin, from the devil’s domination, and the fear of death, because we know that eternity with Him awaits.

If you want to be His disciple, get in His Word and let it bring you into an encounter with Him. Anything less is fruitless.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

Tithing Explained (Q&A Series)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Christian Life Q&A, Personal Discipleship Bible Study, Christian and money, financial stewardship, giving, Scripture, stewardship, tithing 0

Earlier in the week I asked on social media for your questions about the #ChristianLife and the things you still don’t understand about our faith. I will be answering them over the next few weeks as time allows. This first question came to me through LinkedIn, and I hope it answers clearly. If not, that’s what the comments are for!

By the way, if you don’t follow me on social media, I welcome you to my little community, and it’s not too late to submit your own questions, too: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads.

Down to business. The first questions I was asked was simply to discuss tithing, so here goes.

What is Tithing?

Basically, tithing is a practice originating in the Old Testament, whereby faithful adherents to Judaism were commanded to give 10% of their income toward God’s work, including funding the priesthood, the temple, and care for the poor. When Israel began as an agricultural society, God commanded them to give a tithe (meaning a tenth) of their annual harvest and newborn livestock back to Him as an offering. Later on, as the nation of Israel was established and modernized, this commandment extended to a tenth of a person’s income, no matter their trade.

The law of Moses states:

“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.”
Leviticus 27:30,32

The giving of the tithe was an act of obedience, which was to demonstrate a person’s faith that everything comes from God and then to honor His provision through their obedient giving back to Him.

In the Old Testament, a tithe was exactly 10% and this offering was the first priority from a person’s income. Any giving beyond that was considered a secondary offering, usually in response to another life circumstance (sin offerings, thanksgiving offerings, etc.).

Is Tithing a New Testament Requirement?

Your pastor might not like me telling you the answer to this, but… No.

The New Testament does not teach that a Christian must give a tenth (tithe) of their personal income back to the Lord. Look through the scriptures all you want. It’s just not there.

What the New Testament Does Command is Generosity and Financial Stewardship.

While Christians are not commanded to give a “tithe,” the New Testament clearly calls us to be generous givers as stewards of the resources given by God.

Though I hear it often, today, when Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about their financial giving, he never pointed to a legal rule and said, “well, you know you have to give at least ten percent as a minimum. That is the starting point.” What Paul actually said is that each Christian must decide what to give for themselves, in response to God’s provision for them:

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6–7

Please notice, however, that although Paul did not declare a certain amount that should be given, he still says that believers “must give” something. Once again, the expectation that we would give back to God comes from an understanding that God is the source of all we have. In this way, the principle of giving does extend from the heart of the Old Testament tithe.

Another thing to note is that verse 6 makes giving sound transactional, like the more I give to God (sowing), the more I will receive in return (reaping). Before you jump to that conclusion, however, look at the very next verse:

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:8

Paul is NOT saying that we should give money in order to be blessed in return. Rather, Paul is teaching that when we invest in God’s Kingdom and work, the Lord will see our faithfulness and provide even more for us, to enable us to continue investing in His Kingdom and work. He doesn’t bless us for our own sake but does so to enable us to keep blessing Him in return! This is why Paul goes on to write:

“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:10–11

What Did Jesus Say About Giving?

When Jesus discussed the Old Testament law, such as in the Sermon on the Mount, the truth is He never throws out the commands of God. Instead, He shows how the law only lays a foundation of righteousness, and then He calls His followers to live at a higher standard than the law ever did.

For example, the law says, “do not kill,” but Jesus elevates this commandment to “do not even hold anger and hatred toward someone” (Matthew 5:21–22). The law also says, “do not commit adultery,” but Jesus elevates this command to “do not even look lustfully after her”(Matthew 5:27–28).

If Jesus’ standard requires us to set the bar higher, what does that mean for our financial giving?

Perhaps the reason the New Testament never commands us to tithe is because Jesus assumes our generosity will naturally go beyond a measly 10%. After all, He did say:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
Matthew 5:17–18

He then goes on to say:

“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:20

The truth is thatscribes and Pharisees gave their tithes perfectly, all the way down to 10% of their herb garden, but it did not make them righteous! They only gave because they had to according to the law. They didn’t do it with joy, to fulfill the work of God’s Kingdom (see Mathew 23:23).

The point is that in the Old Testament, giving the tithe was a legal obligation for the Jews. For the New Testament believer, however, there is no need for a commandment to give financially because as we are transformed into Jesus’ image, generosity is our nature! When we ask Him to be our Lord, we are giving Him our whole life as a sacrifice (Romans 12:1)! Our new passion as Christians is to show love, live in service to others, care for the poor, evangelize the lost, and see His justice and mercy at work in the world around us. And because those are our passions, we will cheerfully give funds to the cause of Christ.

Maybe I can say it this way:

As a Christian you are NOT commanded to give a tithe of your finances to the Lord. However, a refusal to give financially to support God’s work with a cheerful and generous heart may actually demonstrate that you are NOT a Christian at all. When you truly give Jesus your heart, you are willing to give Him all. True Christians (no matter how rich or poor they are personally) are the most generous people the world has ever seen because they are made in the image of a generous God.

We don’t give to get something back.

I need to emphasise this point. Giving to the Lord was NEVER a transactional agreement in the Old Testament or in the New! Remember, God does not need your money. He already owns it all (see Psalm 24:1).

Christians do not give our tithes and offerings in order to get God to do something for us in return. God is not obligated to do anything He does not want to and you can never do a big enough service for Him to get him into your debt.

Our giving is all about stewarding what God has already given to us, and showing our appreciation for it. It is also a declaration of dependence as we are committing our trust in Him to continue providing for us in the future. Malachi says when God’s people honor God through obedience in giving, He will continue to supply all our needs. (He doesn’t say all our wants, desires, and dreams.) Then, once our needs are met, God will continue to bless us so that we can be faithful in meeting the needs of others.

“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”
Malachi 3:10

The prosperity gospel teaches that when we give our money, God is indebted to us, and He owes us a bigger blessing in return. The more we give, the more we get.

Biblical giving, on the other hand, teaches that we are fully indebted to God for everything we have, and in response, we give back to Him in honor and obedience. As we do, He will continue to bless us in order to see His Kingdom continue to grow and other people to come to know Him just as we do.

God is not an investment account with a guaranteed 100-fold increase on the tithes and offerings you give. God is Jehovah Jireh (“I AM Provider”) in all things big and small. Tithing is an acknowledgment of, and a “thank you” for, that reality.

So What Does All This Mean?

Christians are not commanded to tithe but are by nature generous givers, especially to the work of the Lord. Since God is our first priority, we will naturally want to honor Him first with our money (and our time, talents, and other resources).
Since Jesus has our heart, He is also where we want to put our money (Matthew 6:21). In Him, we find our provision and our contentment; rather than in our bank accounts.
Money is NOT our first love. Jesus is! So it is a natural outflow of our love for Him that we will contribute our money into the things He loves. This is not so we get more money in return, but so that we get more of Him – His heart and His delight.

If You are a Christian, but You Do Not Give Financially to the Lord and His Work:

I encourage you to take time right now and do some soul searching. It might be tough, but we need to truly check our hearts and the excuses we give.

Why don’t you give to the Lord?

Is it because you don’t think you have enough to give and still take care of yourself? Maybe that shows you trust yourself to be your provider more than you trust Him. (See Mark 12:41-44.)

Is it because you have too many other debts or you are saving up money for your future or for a bigger purchase? Maybe Jesus isn’t really your first love or the source of your joy. Maybe possessions are.

Is it a matter of greed? You have what you need, but you still want more, so you save, invest, and do all to accumulate wealth. You might need to check your salvation because you might actually find that money is the god you worship (see Matthew 6:24).

After an honest self-evaluation and maybe some repentance, then I suggest you take time to pray, listen to the Holy Spirit, and see where God is asking you to invest in His Kingdom. Where does he want to you give? When? And how much?

I try to make this kind of prayer my practice every time an opportunity to give arises. Whether it is preparing to give an offering in church, an opportunity to support a good Christian cause, to help out a person in need, or meet another need in my community, I want to pause and ask the Holy Spirit what He would have me do.

I don’t give out of guilt or manipulation. I don’t give just because its a good cause or a real need. But I do give ever time the Holy Spirit prompts me to do so.

Truthfully, I cannot give to everyone who asks me, and I am unable to support many people and causes that I’d really like to help. Yet, because we know Jesus has called us to be givers, like He is a giver, my wife and I have determined a certain amount of our income that we give every month to the ministry we serve under, as well as a baseline amount to the in whichever Sozo church we are in each week. We view those regular, set amount of giving as our “tithe” to the Lord, although it is certainly not limited to 10%.

After that, we do often give to individuals, programs, causes, and charities as the Lord leads us. We pray about it. We discuss it. And then we give as God directs us. And truthfully, it is sometimes painful to do so. We have given money many times that we really could not afford to give. Sometimes we have given money that we didn’t initially want to give. But we obey the Lord because we love Him more than we love our money.

And we want to be like Him.

Remember, God gave His most prized possession – His Son – for us. Even though Jesus didn’t want to die, He willingly gave His life for us so we might live forever. If that is the fact on which I hang my eternity, then what sacrifice can He ask me to make that is too much to give?

Nothing.

Thank you for taking time to read what I have written. I would love to hear your feedback in the comments, below!

One other quick note, as I’ve shared about my own giving habits. Please be aware that I do not give to solicitations for money through this website or through social media. I cannot, in good conscience, give money to someone or something I do not know. That would be very bad stewardship.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

July 22 2021

A Deeper Look at Holiness

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Personal Discipleship Bible, Bible Study, Gospel, holiness, holy, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus is the temple, Jewish temple 1

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
1 Peter 1:13-16

Repeatedly in scripture, the Lord commands His people to “be holy.” What does this mean though?

Does it mean being “perfect?”

Does is mean being someone who never struggles with temptations to sin?

Does it mean cutting ourselves off from the world, and living a solitary life of prayer and Bible study?

What does the Greek say?

Well, to begin with, the word “holy,” used by Peter in the verse above, is the Greek word “agios,” and at the time of Peter’s writing would have been closely associated with both the Temple and the offerings which were sacrificed at the Temple according to the law of Moses. Culturally, this word specifically implies that the subject had been carefully set apart for worship of and service to God. Tools and items would have been ritually cleansed, animals were required without blemish, and the priests would follow strict protocols to remain clean according to the legal standards of the law.

This seems to be a pretty straightforward definition. Something that is agios is clean according to the law of God and is religiously set apart for Him alone, just as God Himself is righteous and separate from His creation.

A Shift in Meaning

While the general definition is pretty simple, there is another use of “agios” in the New Testament, applied in various places to describe Jesus (Mark 1:24, John 6:69, Acts 3:14, 1 John 2:20, and others). This usage is quite different than the standard cultural use of the word relating to the Temple in Jerusalem.

In reference to Jesus, the word is used in conjunction with His supernatural birth (Luke 1:35) and identity as the incarnate Son of God (Luke 4:34). In Luke’s gospel, particularly, the descriptions of Jesus as “agios” points toward Jesus as both divine and as the One who carries the Holy Spirit of God.

In this sense, the word “agios” is not being used to identify Jesus with the Temple in Jerusalem, but as a Temple of God, Himself!

This should sound familiar, as Jesus spoke of Himself in the same way.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
John 2:19-21 (Emphasis mine)

Jesus understood that, as Colossians 2:9 declares, “in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…” His human form was the incarnation of God on earth. He was God, and the Holy Spirit dwelt in and with Him.

This was a greater revelation of God’s presence than the Temple in Israel.

Accessing God’s Temple

The problem the people of God had in the Old Testament was that to enter God’s presence, they had to travel to Jerusalem and enter the Temple. Even then, only a select few would be allowed access.

In the gospels, God’s presence breaks out of the Temple and is manifested through Jesus — God’s new Temple in bodily form. Still, though, access to the presence of God was limited to individuals in the vicinity of Christ. However, Jesus had an even greater plan that would give everyone access to God’s presence, and at the same time, transform them into His holy image.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
John 16:7

Becoming God’s Temple

To fulfill God’s command to “be holy as I am holy,” we must move beyond human attempts to fulfill legalistic requirements and religious to-do lists. We do not even become holy through confession and repentance from sin. We must be holistically transformed by His holiness. We become holy when we are filled with and changed by the presence of God!

In fact, this reality is demonstrated in both Jesus’ instructions in the gospels and the apostolic commands on the church that believers should be filled with the Holy Spirit, since He is the One who will change us into Christ-likeness.

The good news is that when we trust Christ as Savior, He gives us the right to live in the Spirit, and follow His directions in every area of life (Galatians 5:16). When we do this, the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us (John 16:13), point us to Jesus (John 15:26), empower us to serve the Lord (Acts 1:8), and ultimately, to sanctify us and make us like Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:23). We will become “agios” because He makes us “agios.”

The point is that we must stop depending on our own self-discipline to make us holy. Instead, we should see ourselves as the true temple of God in the earth, just as Jesus was, and then live our lives each day as those set apart, made clean by Christ, hosting the presence of God, and ready to be used in worship and service to Him. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Let’s Connect

If you want to keep in touch, join me on social media for more #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership insights throughout the week. I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and LinkedIn, and would love to see you there.

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If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

April 8 2020

Three Valuable Gifts We Have Been Given in This Season of Pandemic

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Personal Discipleship Jesus, pandemic, social media 0

This COVID19 pandemic has caused much chaos in the world, in such a short period of time. The world is on lockdown, and a spirit of fear is causing havoc all over the place. Businesses are closing. Economies are failing. Death and disease are on everyone’s tongue, while depression and loneliness are setting into hearts. Yet, I do not believe everything is as bad as some people are projecting them to be. In fact, I believe that in God’s redemption of all things, there is an underlying hopefulness that many people are feeling in this season. In that spirit, the Lord spoke to me about three valuable gifts He has given us during this season of pandemic, if we will take the time to utilize them.

1. Time

One of the biggest complaints I hear from Christians all the time, and on every continent I travel to, is “I want to pray…” or “I want to read my bible, but I just don’t have the time.” However, one of the upsides to self-isolation and global lockdown is that you have been given the gift of time, to do with as you please.

You have been given a gift, which, if taken advantage of, will help you to grow your personal walk with the Lord in deeper ways than you can imagine. This is what I shared in my last post, concerning three ways you can grow your relationship with God during this season.

You have time for the secret place.

As I have shared elsewhere, there came a point in my own life when I was desperate to grow in hearing God’s voice and abiding in the secret place with Him. Fortunately, it came at another point in my life where I was given the gift of time. I was living in Haiti, house-sitting for some furloughed missionaries for a few months, and could not speak the language. After my translator/assistant would go home around 4pm every day, I was alone. Deciding to take advantage of the situation, I sat on the balcony every night with a journal in hand, and prayed, refusing to leave that place until I was certain I heard the voice of God. As time went on, I gained more confidence of what I was hearing, and have kept up the practice of prayer journaling ever since.

If you want to learn to hear God’s voice and abide in the secret place, now is the perfect time to do so!

You have time to read.

Many times in the past, I have tried to do a bible-in-a-year reading plan, only to get to Leviticus and give up. Now, I have read the entire bible, multiple times over the years, but not usually in big chunks. Already, in this season however, I have read entire books of the Bible in one or two sittings. I have also spent a lot of time reading a great biography on William Branham, and invested time in taking Logos MobileED courses. In seasons like this you have the opportunity to really dive in, read, study, and grow yourself, if you will use it.

We have to utilize the gift of time.

If we are honest with ourselves, the truth is that even when we are not in a crisis, most of us have time for our spirituality, we simply do not make it a priority. In this season, however, I want to encourage you, do not waste this precious gift God is giving you. Turn off Netflix, and stop the endless facebook scrolling. Do something that is going to benefit you!

2. Financial Accountability

Another gift we have been given through this crisis, although not nearly as comfortable as the gift of time, is the ability to take a close look at our finances and eliminate a lot of fluff. As many people are getting cut back on hours and pay, or even fired from their jobs, it is giving us a reason to pause and not just look at the national or global economy, but also our family economic status.

As we look at what are necessary expenses versus what is an extra luxury that we don’t need, many of us are finding that the comfort bubbles we live in are not sustainable. This isn’t just big expenses, either. I have talked to friends who are taking a deep look at whether they actually need subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, AppleTV+ and a YouTube streaming service. At what point are we throwing our money at things which are unnecessary?

Now, I am not saying that comforts and little luxuries are bad. I am simply saying as we take account of where our money is going as things get tight, we will all likely find areas of excess that need to be cut back on.

What about charity?

When we look at the financial crisis following closely behind this pandemic, another thing that goes out the window fast is our charitable giving. I have heard from many pastors who are struggling to pay church bills and ministry expenses because tithes and offerings were the first thing to go when we went on lockdown.

The same thing is definitely true for those of us on the mission field, living completely on support. My family has lost a significant amount of support over the last month, as many of our donors are struggling to get by.

My question, however, is about our calling to be faithful to finance God’s Kingdom. As we look at our financial situations as families, we must decide if tithing and supporting churches and ministries is a “first priority” for us, or only something we do when we are living in abundance.

I am not writing this to shame anyone into giving their tithes and offering. I am saying that we have each been given the gift of financial examination, and we ought to use it. (Matthew 6:21)

3. Social Media and Technology

Another gift that too many of us take for granted, a lot of times, is the gift of social media and technology. It has been so ingrained in our daily lives for the past decade, that we think nothing of moving from one technological item to another. For instance, I wake up and make coffee first thing. Then I grab my iPad and open the Day One Journal app and type out my daily prayer journal with the Lord. From there, I open my phone and check WhatsApp and Facebook messages while I eat breakfast. I’ll check the news on Apple News or another phone app. Then I’ll move over to my computer to work on whatever the day holds. Today, that meant recording a sermon for one of our ministry partner’s Easter Convention online, then getting this blog posted to WordPress.

None of these things are abnormal in our daily lives, however, as believers, we must come to the conclusion that these things are gifts God intends us to use for His purposes; gifts that the earliest disciples couldn’t have even imagined.

What is incredible – and which was impossible just a few years ago – is that as soon as churches were told to close for a season, we all moved online and simply kept going. I am tuning in, every week, to the online services of some small, village churches in Africa, broadcasting on Facebook live. I am tuning into entire conferences being streamed from the U.S. I am seeing new online courses popping up every day. And these are all things I am utilizing myself for our ministry.

A pandemic unlike any before.

Looking back at every great pandemic in the past – whether Spanish Flu a hundred years ago, or the black plague in the middle ages – I can honestly say I don’t know how anyone survived. The lack of information they had, compared to the amount of instant communication we share today is mind-boggling.

At no other point in history could humanity have been isolated in our own homes, and yet still be living in community, with face-to-face communication with friends and family. Facetime, Zoom, Skype. These are gifts to this generation.

Gifts for the Kingdom of God

They are also gifts that I feel very strongly, God wants us to use for His Kingdom and His glory. I am seeing a stark contrast in my facebook feeds between my ministry-leadership friends, and my unbeliever friends. The ministry leaders are doing their best to share words of encouragement and live video teachings to bring people’s faith to Jesus. The unbelievers are discussing how to order more beer from Alexa, and posting endless rants about the government or other pet issues.

It is the middle ground that has caught my attention though. It is the people who are believers, but not “professional” ministers. I am seeing so many of them trying to step up and use social media to lift up Jesus, while so many others are getting lost in posting quiz results, TicTok lip syncs, memes, and forwards, that simply take up time and space.

Just as we need to analyze how we spend our time and our finances, we also need to take a look at how we are utilizing social media and what we are promoting with this gift.

A Personal Rebuke

This morning, the Lord rebuked me for my own online activities. Despite the fact that I am constantly blogging, doing live videos, and sharing encouraging messages in personal communications, yesterday I also engaged in a long, back-and-forth discussion…argument maybe… about politics and religion, and whether the government has a right to tell churches to close. This morning, however, the Lord spoke very clearly to me, saying, “That is not the message you are called to carry. Yours must be voice for salvation, healing and deliverance. That is your message: Christ alone.”

If we are to recognize that social media is a gift, and an extension of our voices and our personalities, we must be conscious of how we are representing ourselves and our Savior, when so many people are simply looking for online distractions from reality.

This is a Call to Mindfulness

Obviously, you have the choice to decide how you live your life in lockdown. I am simply making some suggestions. As believers, however, I think there is a clear call on us, biblically, to be mindful of what we do. We are called to be people who redeem the time, steward resources well, and lift up Jesus in all things. In this season, we have been given these gifts. Let us be those who use them for His glory!

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below, and as always, if you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership insights!

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March 28 2020

3 Ways To Build Your Relationship With God in Times of Isolation

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Personal Discipleship, Soul Care, Spiritual Disciplines quarantine, social distancing, worship 0

Right now, the world is in isolation and quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak, causing a lot of unrest in the world. One of the more deadly side-effects of this mandatory social distancing is the feeling of loneliness which consumes too many people. As I have been praying for many people who are feeling isolated and alone in this season, I felt the Lord’s presence stirring in me the greatest promise Jesus made when He left this earth. That is, “I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20).

Personally, as an introvert, I was social distancing before it was mandatory. However, I know that many of you need personal interaction and relationship to keep you going. So I do pray that you are not being led into depression and anguish during this season of isolation. However, I want to remind you that you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is with you, and is ready to engage with you as a friend if you will give Him the opportunity.

With this in mind, I want to share three ways we can build our relationship with God during this season.

1. Get Comfortable in the Secret Place

One of the topics I talk about most is having relationship and hearing God’s voice. That is because I strongly believe that Christianity truly is, as the old cliche says, a relationship, not a religion. Over the years, my own relationship with the Holy Spirit has grown incredibly personal, and I have learned to discern His voice speaking to me on a daily basis. That is not only a promise for “prophets.” Jesus said that all of His sheep would know His voice and follow Him (John 10:27).

While I have coached many people in hearing God’s voice for themselves, too many people miss the most important part, and that is to take time to practice hearing Him. There are many great teachings on how to hear Him speaking. There are many books that give keys to grow in your ability to hear. There are many leaders who can lead in times of activation, allowing you to have the experience yourself for the first time. Yet, none of those things will make you any more effective at hearing the Lord speak, if you do not take time daily to sit down in a quiet place and listen.

Years ago, I read the book “Four Keys to Hearing God’s Voice” by Mark Virkler. The simple principles he shared shaped my ability to hear the Lord speaking to me personally, in ways I never imagined possible. One of the things he shares is the need to write down everything God tells you in a practice called “two-way journaling.” Basically, you ask God a question, then write down what you feel the Holy Spirit speaks. Since 2012, this has been my habit of prayer journaling, and it has allowed me to focus on the Lord, and to hear Him speaking to me on a daily basis.

Again, these keys I learned would not have made any difference in my life, if I didn’t take the time to practice them regularly.

Right now, as you are staying home, limiting social interaction, and trying to balance your sanity with social media and binge watching television, I don’t want you to miss this great opportunity to spend time with the Lord in prayer, and to get comfortable in the secret place with Him. He is right there with you, and ready to speak. Take the time to listen. Even if you have never been able to sit in a position of prayer for more than 10 minutes, you have ample time to try, again and again, until the secret place is somewhere you don’t want to leave.

I promise you, once you learn to fellowship with Him in private, and the joys of knowing Him so personally, even the return of normal life in a couple of months will not keep you from returning to the prayer closet again and again.

To learn more about hearing the Lord speaking, you can find my four-part blog series on Hearing God’s Voice here, here, here, and here.

2. Dig Deep in the Word of God

Another aspect of Christian life that too often gets neglected in our busy routines, is engaging with the Word of God. I know that many of you do spend time daily in the Bible, and that is great. Yet, what I have found in this season of isolation is that God has given us time to go deeper in the Word of God, and learn from Him the principles of the Christian life.

Of course we should be reading our Bibles continually, and seek to know what is there from cover to cover. Some of you read through the whole Bible every year! Our ministry, Sozo Ministries, just shared a Bible reading plan that will take you through the entire New Testament in 21 days, as a free resource during this time. Those things are great, but I am talking about going deeper in our understanding of the Word of God.

Surely there are things the Holy Spirit has whispered to you, that have made you think, “I really need to look into that.” Maybe it is a deep doctrinal truth debated for ages, or it could simply be a small personal curiosity about something in the Word. Either way, you have now been given ample time to dive into the Word and find out. I am talking highlighters, Bible dictionaries, concordances and commentaries! It is a great season to put on your Bible-nerd glasses, and get moving.

The good news is, you don’t have to have a study full of wall-to-wall books. In the days of internet, you can find many commentaries and bible study resources available online for free!

I don’t know how deep you want to take your Bible study, but what I want to encourage you in your journey in the Word is to go in prayerfully and trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you and teach you in this time. This, too, should be a relationship-building time with the Lord, as He speaks to you personally through His Word!

You can find my post on the R.E.A.P. Bible Study Method here, as well as my two-part series on keeping a Scripture Reading Journal, here and here.

3. Become Your Own Worship Leader

The third thing I have found necessary in times like these, is to create a routine of worship by yourself. With churches closed down to the public and now broadcasting online, it is easy to just watch the worship, rather than engage in our own. However, when we realize that worship is an activity which should invade all that we do, then we can learn to be our own worship leaders.

This doesn’t always have to be singing, although singing is one of the easiest ways to engage in worship. That is why King David filled the tabernacle with musicians and singers who praised the Lord 24/7.

For me, I have taken time in the last few weeks to pull an old hymn book off the shelf, and sing through some of the songs I learned when I first joined church as a teenager. I have also taken up the hobby of learning to play a penny whistle, which I ordered from Amazon over Christmas last year. Playing songs that stir my heart toward the Lord in my solitude has been an enjoyable experience, and I can feel His presence surround me as I play and sing.

The truth is that worship is a form of spiritual warfare, and it changes the atmosphere around us. If you are isolated in this season, and feelings of loneliness and depression are taking hold, worship may be the easiest way to remove yourself from that funk and be drawn into His presence afresh.

Don’t hesitate to switch off Netflix and turn on a YouTube worship channel. Sing along. Lead your family or your kids in praises. Just because we cannot “go to church” does not mean that we cease to be the church. Let’s learn to worship the Lord, even more, in our private lives now, as a way to build that relationship with Him, which will last for years to come!

You can find an Apple Music playlist I created called, Warfare Worship, here.

We Have Time To Engage

To be sure, there are many other ways you can seek to engage with the Lord and deepen your relationship with Him in this season. You might decide to fast. You might spend time creating prophetic works of art or writings. Perhaps you still lead small groups or video chat sessions for intercession. All of these things are great, and there are so many more ways that I can’t even begin to give a complete list.

No matter how you engage with the Lord, my prayer for you in this season is simply that you do. Do not miss the opportunity you have been given, to give the Lord time! I have never met a Christian who lives with too much time on their hands. Busyness always seems to pull us away from relationship with Him. In this season, however, you have been given the gift of time to spare. Let’s choose not to squander it!

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership advice!

Photo by Jose López Franco on Unsplash

September 19 2019

Presence or Power: What do you seek?

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Christian Life and Gospel Leadership, Gospel Leadership, Leadership Character, Personal Discipleship Power of God, presence of god 0

I love encounters with the Lord. I love to see people getting filled with the Holy Spirit or receiving new impartations of gifts and callings. It is an exciting thing to see people encounter their Father in such a real way. After wrapping up a series of blog posts on encounters with God (part 1, part 2, part 3), and spending a week preaching at our ministry’s annual Pastors’ Conference, where so many of our leaders were touched by the Holy Spirit, I am stirred up with a passion for the presence and the power of God to work in people’s lives.

Nevertheless, I am also reminded that too often those seeking an encounter with the Lord get their priorities wrong. Too many people desire the power of God, and all of His benefits, yet reject His abiding presence in their lives. So the question for us today is, “what are you seeking: presence or power?”

The Presence and Power of God on Display

As you read through the Old Testament, the people of Israel had some very tangible signs of God’s presence with them. They also saw His power at work, daily. Through the plagues in Egypt, God delivered His people from Pharaoh. After Moses led the people out of captivity, God’s presence manifested as the pillar of cloud and fire. He powerfully provided for them with manna from heaven and water from the rock. After the tabernacle was built in the wilderness, the whole place was filled with smoke – what we might call today, “the glory cloud.” Then, God commanded Moses to build the Ark of the Covenant, which would represent God’s physical presence wherever it was carried. Their lives were full of both God’s presence and His power.

For the life of an Israelite in those early days, you could not escape from the public demonstrations of both the power and the presence of God. However, as much as they enjoyed the powerful provision God gave to them, they began to distance themselves from His presence.

Rejecting the Presence

In Exodus 19, God tells Moses that He will descend on Mount Sinai and speak to the people. When the day came, there was fire and smoke covering the mountain. God warned Moses to set boundaries around the mountain so that people could not touch the glory and die. He then issued to Moses the ten commandments. Yet, the people’s response was not to rush close. The Bible tells us

“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.’ Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’ The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.”
Exodus 20:18-21

Although the people believed in God, and had benefitted from His power. His presence was terrifying. They were face to face with a God who was beyond their control, and so they fled.

They sought a God they could control.

As the story continues, we know that Moses returned up the mountain into God’s presence, to receive the law from God. Meanwhile, the people of Israel decided to build the golden calf – a god they could control – and bowed down to worship it, instead (see Exodus 32).

Replacing God with man.

Unfortunately, this rejection of God’s presence marked the people of Israel for generations to come. A culmination point came after the time of the Judges when the people called on Samuel to appoint for them a King.

“But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.”
1 Samuel 8:6-7

Desiring the Power

Although the people did not want God’s presence – they rejected Him personally – it didn’t change the fact that they wanted His power to work on their behalf.

Over and over again, when the people were defeated by enemies or had troubles in the nation, there was a cry to God to rescue them. We find another story, along these lines, when the nation was utterly defeated by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 4.

“Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines?”
1 Samuel 4:1-3

Their answer to the defeat is what makes the story interesting. Their response is, “Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” They called for the ark, which symbolized God’s presence, but they were only interested in the power.

Losing the Power?

As the Ark comes into their camp, the people cheer, and even the Philistines are disheartened, because they know the testimonies of God’s power in the past. However, they encouraged themselves that they should not become slaves to Israel and they rose up to fight.

“So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. And the ark of God was captured…”
1 Samuel 4:10-11

Israel (symbolically at least) was left without both the presence and the power of God. And the Philistines rejoiced!

Capturing God’s Power?

“When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it up beside Dagon.”
1 Samuel 5:1-2

Dagon was the main god worshipped by the Philistines. He was a false idol, erected in statue form, in a large temple built for him. Now notice what the Philistines do. They bring the Ark of the Covenant – the thing that symbolized God’s presence – and they try to use it simply as a source of power. They bring it into Dagon’s temple, and try to set the God of Israel in the shadow of their false idol. Just like Israel, they wanted His power, but not His presence.

God, however, will not sit subservient to any human idol, and on the first morning Dagon’s statue is laid facedown before the Ark of the Covenant. After the Philistines return the idol to its place, God destroys it.

“When they rose early on the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen face downward on the ground before the ark of the Lord, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off on the threshold. Only the trunk of Dagon was left to him.”
1 Samuel 5:4

Plagues then begin to come upon the Philistines, until they put the Ark on a cart and send it on its way back to Israel.

Still Rejecting the Presence

If we follow the story along, the people of Israel are happy for the Ark’s return, yet they still reject the presence of God which it represents. They do not bring it back to the tent of meeting as God had commanded Moses. It is moved from house to house, bringing both blessings and death, until King David brings it to a place of honor in Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, this isn’t simply a story about an ancient people and their God. It is the same story for too many in the church today! Many people who call themselves Christian, want nothing to do with God. They simply want His power and blessings in their lives.

I have a friend who is an active homosexual, and lives a lifestyle of hedonism. He wants nothing to do with God, does not like Jesus, and hates the Bible. Yet if you have a conversation with him about faith, he will tell you, “I was saved at 6 years old at First Baptist Church, and ‘once saved always saved.’” You cannot convince him that his rejection of God’s presence in his life nullifies the power of salvation. He will not accept that to have God’s power, he must also accept God’s presence (and authority).

False teachings abound

My friend’s story is an extreme example, but it is not unique. If we look at major theologies being promoted, you don’t have to search very far before you find Christians peddling the blessings and power of God, without needing His presence.

Take the prosperity gospel for instance. While I believe God promises to bless and prosper His people, it is always tied to their relationship and submission to Him. Not so with this theology. For them, if you give something to God financially, then you tie His hands, and He has to return that money to you with interest. Plant your seed of faith, and God has to grow you a tree.

Example after example could be given, where we seek to control God, rejecting His presence but receiving His power.

No King but King Jesus

I believe it is time for a new generation of believers to rise up, and stop playing games with God. We have to stop seeking His power for our own benefit, and start seeking His presence to guide our lives.

The cry of the early church was, “no King but King Jesus.” This was an absolute rejection of Caesar and the worldly ways of power and prestige. They traded everything to know Him.

The payoff? They received Him! They were filled with the Holy Spirit, guided by Him daily, and through Him, changed the world! When they sought His presence, and allowed Him to be God, they found that His power comes along, as well.

He is not a God to be controlled. We cannot manipulate Him in some way to make His power work for us. We must return to the place of wanting Him. When we do that, we will find our blessings are not just from Him. They are Him.

He is the reward of our salvation. He is our hope. He is our joy. He is our blessing. Even heaven is not heaven, if He is not there.

What about you?

I don’t know about you, but I just want Him. I am tired of wasting time, going after a blessing. There has to be more than simply pressing in for a breakthrough. Why do we need another conference that promises a method or program to get God’s power to work in our lives.

I just want Him. I want His presence. I want His love, and His touch on my life.

How about you? Have you traded His presence to pursue His power? Is your goal to submit to Him and let Him be God, or are you trying to control Him for your own benefit?

Truly, it is time for the people of God to stop going after His power, and instead become a people marked by His presence!

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

If you want to read more about personal encounters with the Lord, and how they can shape your life, I would like to recommend the book, “Hosting the Presence” by Bill Johnson.

As always, if you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would also be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for regular blog updates, and other ongoing #ChristianLife and #GospelLeadership insights!

Photo by Igor Rodrigues on Unsplash

September 9 2019

The Anatomy of an Encounter with God (Part 3)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Holy Spirit, Personal Discipleship Dreams, experiencing God 1

As we have already seen, there is a lot that goes on in an encounter with the Lord. He sovereignly determines when and how He is going to meet with you. Then when He does, He changes your life. He takes control; convicts you of sin, and issues a calling. These are vital experiences to live the Christian life. Now, as we wrap up this series, we want to look at the effects of an encounter with the Lord. Once again, we will continue looking at Saul’s experience in Acts 9.

Divine CONNECTIONS are Made

As the story of Saul progresses, he leaves the place of encounter and is led to Damascus, where he doesn’t eat or drink for three days. Then the Bible says,

“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’”
Acts 9:10-12

Saul had received the calling from the Lord, during the encounter. However, that experience alone was not enough. God ordained another member of the body of Christ to come and help Saul discern what happened during that encounter.

In the same way, when we have an encounter with the Lord, He will orchestrate others to come alongside us, to help us work through the revelation. Sometimes these will be short-lived relationships. Other times, these people will play a large part in the rest of your life, as you live out the plan of God for your life.

CONFUSION Arises Around Your Past

As God called Saul, and then worked to bring him together with Ananias, there was a problem. Ananias knew who Saul was. He knew Saul had been on a crusade to exterminate Christ-followers.

“Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’”
Acts 9:13-14

The sad reality is, it is difficult to move beyond our past, when everyone around us knows our life story. Even Jesus, who never sinned once, was met with skepticism when He preached in Nazareth. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” Jesus’ response was, “a prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown” (Matthew 13:57).

Personally, I grew up in a town of less than 3,00 people. Everyone knew everyone else’s business. The person I was as a teenager, all-to-often, is still the same reputation people look at me to have, 15+ years later. As one of my old, favorite bands sang, “You’re always 17 in your hometown.”

When God calls you out of who you were, and leads you on the next step in your journey through a supernatural encounter, it may be difficult for others to accept. People will watch with skepticism, to see if what you are saying is true. Like Ananias, they may not be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, until God undeniably proves what He is doing in you.

(For a current example of this, look at Benny Hinn. He is claiming to now reject the prosperity gospel, and saying he will never fleece God’s flock again. Most people are doubtful, and waiting to see what happens.)

You are COMMISSIONED in the Work You Have Been Called To

No matter what others may think, say, or do concerning your experience, the undeniable evidence of an encounter with the Lord, is that He will publicly commission you to go out and fulfill the call He puts on you privately. God told Ananias of Saul:

“‘I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”
Acts 9:15-17

The Damascus road experience was a private encounter, where even those with Saul did not hear what God was speaking. However, when God sends Ananias, Saul is publicly recognized according to God’s calling on Him. He is prayed for, and filled with the Holy Spirit, which enabled him to fulfill the call.

For many of us, this public commissioning does not happen three days after our encounter. For some people, it may even take years or decades. However, the evidence of the encounter will come the fruit is borne.

For me, God had clearly spoken to me about an apostolic calling on my life in many different ways. There were prophetic words from others. There were random encounters, that I wondered later if they were angelic. There was a vision or two. All the time, God telling me that I was called as an apostle. My problem was that in my Baptist upbringing, we didn’t believe the apostolic gift was for today. I argued with God about this issue, plenty. However, in His timing, we launched Sozo Ministries International, where I serve as the apostolic overseer, equipping the leaders and planting churches in East Africa.

Your private calling from the Lord will lead to a public commissioning, eventually.

You Walk Away with CLARITY

As you deal with the reality of what you experience in your encounter with the Lord, and God works things in the public sphere, the final effect is that you will get clarity on the direction of your life. For Saul, this clarity was physical, as well as directional.

“And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.”
Acts 9:18-19

Saul received his physical sight back. More than that, however, as God continued giving him divine connections in the other disciples, Saul was able to learn and grow in the gospel. He got clarity through the things he learned, and by the Holy Spirit’s guidance, and it changed the course of his life.

The same is true for us. When God grants us a supernatural encounter with Himself, it is always to deepen our relationship with Him, and guide us further on our journey. We get clarity in our identity in Him. He clarifies our need for relationship with Him. And we walk away with a clear vision for our future, whether immediate or long term.

What is the Result?

“And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’”
Acts 9:20

Saul of Tarsus met God on the Damascus road, and the result was that, as the Apostle Paul, he took the gospel to the gentile world in power.

The result of your own encounter with God is that He will give you everything you need to fulfill the calling He places on your life. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit to levels you couldn’t imagine before. You will begin to experience power and gifts flowing through you, which you didn’t know possible. He will guide you into your destiny, until HIs revelation to you is completely fulfilled.

Pursue the God of Encounters

This whole series of posts has been unique among my blog posts, in that, unlike reading the Bible or planning a discipleship program, having an encounter with God is not something you can initiate or plan for. It all depends on Him. However, that doesn’t mean that there is nothing for you to do.

What I would encourage you to do is NOT to pursue an encounter. Although we all need them, and desire to have them, the encounter itself is not the goal. Instead, pursue the God of the encounter. We must desire Him, more than we desire power or gifts. If we will seek His presence, daily, even hourly, then it won’t be a surprise when He grants you a powerful experience with Himself. Seek Him, and see what happens.

What About You?

As we wrap up this blog series, I would love to hear from you, with any stories you have of your own encounters with the Lord. It may be dreams, visions, angelic visitations, or even a face-to-face encounter with Christ. If the Lord allows you to share, I invite you to do so in the comments section below.

If you want to read more about personal encounters with the Lord, and how they can shape your life, I would like to recommend the book, “Defining Moments: God-Encounters With Ordinary People Who Changed the World.“

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash

September 6 2019

The Anatomy of an Encounter with God (Part 2)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Holy Spirit, Personal Discipleship Acts 9, Christianity, discover your calling, Dreams, encounters with god, falling under the power of God, God encounters, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Supernatural, Visions 1

What happens when we have an encounter with the Lord? In part 1, we discussed that God alone chooses ‘when’ and ‘how’ your encounter will happen. In this post, however, I want to explore what actually happens when God shows up. There seems to be some elements of an encounter with the Lord, that appear over and over again in scripture. Today, we will look at three of them.

We will continue with Saul’s encounter with the Lord in Acts 9, as we explore these things.

Element 1: God takes CONTROL

The first thing that happened when the great light surrounded Saul and his men, was that Saul lost control of himself. Acts 9:4 tells us that Saul fell to the ground, and verse 8 tells us that he was no longer able to see.

This is a common theme when the Lord shows up. We see the same thing with every time a prophet of the Lord is called into His presence. In Revelation 1:17, John tells us that upon viewing Jesus, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.” The same thing happens to the priests in the Old Testament, when the Ark of the Covenant is brought into the temple:

“And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”
1 Kings 8:10–11

One other example, and possibly my favorite, actually happened with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the soldiers came to arrest Him.

“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.”
John 18:4–6

In many cases, the presence of God overtakes our own ability to control our bodies. When we lose control, there is no other option, except to submit to Him.

Element 2: We are overcome with CONVICTION

The second thing that happens in an encounter with the Lord is that our sin is brought into clear focus, and a strong conviction from the Lord leads us to repent.

In Saul’s case, we see this as Jesus speaks to him: “And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 9:4–5).

Saul had been a self-righteous Pharisee his whole life. He thought that his persecution against the church was an action in defense of God and true religion. However, when this encounter takes place, the error of his ways becomes very clear. God doesn’t beat around the bush. Saul’s actions were a direct sin against the Lord Himself.

Other Examples

This element of an encounter, too, is repeated over and over in scripture. When God shows up, it is to restore righteousness in the people He is touching. Take Isaiah’s encounter for instance. He is taken into the heavens, and he sees the Lord sitting on the throne. All the angels are there, worshipping. And what is Isaiah’s response?

“And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Isaiah 6:5–7

When we have an encounter with the Lord, it is because He wants to draw us closer to Himself, and take us further in our lives with Him. In order to do that, He has to bring us to a full “heart check,” wherein we realize our sin, make confession, and come out purified.

We see this same thing in Zechariah’s dream of the high priest, Joshua:

“Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Remove the filthy garments from him.’ And to him he said, ‘Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.’”
Zechariah 3:3–4

In an encounter with the Lord, either He convicts us and makes us clean, or there is judgement leading to death. There is no other option. His goal is to have deeper intimacy with us, but His presence demands our holiness.

Element 3: We discover our CALLING

The final element that happens in an encounter is that the Lord will reveal more of His plan for our lives. Again, He is taking us further on our life’s journey with Him, and He wants to use us.

For Saul, this element came in through his instructions of what to do next. Jesus said, “but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do” (Acts 9:6). God then commissions Ananias to pray for Saul, saying, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15–16).

It was through this encounter that Saul is changed from a persecutor of the church, to an Apostle to the gentiles. His destiny was revealed.

In the grand scheme of things, those three days being blinded and out of control were but a tiny speck of time, compared to the lasting impact Saul (now Paul) had on the Kingdom of God. God had to grab control, and convict him of sin, so that Paul could be sent out to fulfill the calling on his life.

For some people, the calling that comes in an encounter with the Lord is simply the calling to be saved, and follow Jesus with their lives. For others, it is a calling to be better husbands or wives, and serve Him through their family. Some are called into careers and professions that will impact the world. Many are called into the ministry, with a promise of reaching nations.

While some of these things may sound “bigger” than others, the truth is that an encounter with God will change your life, personally, for the better. His calling will be the greatest adventure of your life, if you accept what He is asking of you.

Seeking Your Encounter

Once again, these three elements on an encounter are always evident when the Lord shows up. God wants to take control of your life, convict you of your sin, and call you into your destiny. And we should desire Him to do all of those things.

In the next post, we will explore the effects of an encounter, but for today, I want to encourage you, to begin to pray and ask God for your own supernatural encounter with Him. It doesn’t matter if you have had other encounters in the past. There is always more for those who ask Him (see Matthew 7:11).

Pray for more. Pray for visions or visitations. Ask God to show up and meet with you. He promises that we will find Him when we seek Him (see Jeremiah 29:13).

Each time I have had encounters with the Lord’s presence, I have been left hungering for more. I’m sure you will, too. I would love to hear about your experience in the comments! Make sure and tell us how these elements of an encounter appeared in yours.

Find out More

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash

September 2 2019

The Anatomy of an Encounter with God (Part 1)

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Holy Spirit, Personal Discipleship Acts 7:58, Acts 9, angelic visitations, Bible, Dreams, encounters with god, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Saul becomes Paul, stoning of stephen, Supernatural, supernatural life, trances 0

Since the days when Adam walked face-to-face with God in the Garden of Eden, people of faith have been moved and led by encounters with the Lord. Over and over again in the Old Testament, “the Angel of the Lord” appeared to men and women, and spoke prophecies and destiny to them. The New Testament carries on this expectation that encounters would be normal for believers. We see angelic visitations, open visions, trances or “ecstasies”, and even personal encounters with Christ, after his ascension. The Christian life is not supposed to be simple, religious activity. It is supposed to be a personal relationship with the Lord. In view of this reality, I want us to look at the anatomy of an encounter with God.

Saul’s Encounter

As an example of an encounter with God, I want us to look at Saul’s travel on the Damascus road, when God showed up.

If you know Saul’s background, you know that we first meet him at the stoning of Stephen. As the men were trying to get their best shots in to kill Stephen, there was a young man named Saul standing by, holding their coats, and encouraging them (see Acts 7:58; 8:1). After Stephen was dead, Saul took it upon himself to lead a great persecution of anyone in Jerusalem who were followers of Jesus.

Apparently, it was effective. Most of the disciples had fled from Jerusalem, or went well enough into hiding to escape. Saul, then, decides to take the persecution on the road. The Bible tells us:

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice…”
Acts 9:1-4; English Standard Version

The Timing of the Encounter

Saul was on his way to Damascus to destroy believers, just as he had been doing in Jerusalem, when suddenly God shows up. “Suddenly.” This is the first point I want to look at as we discuss how an encounter with God happens. You do not get to determine when it comes.

From my limited human wisdom, it seems that if God had come to Saul much sooner, it would have saved the church a lot of heartache and struggle. He didn’t. Instead, He waited until Saul was out on the road. He was separated from the comforts and connections of home, and had nowhere to turn for help. That is when God decided to step in and meet him.

This seems to be God’s standard mode of operation. He alone will determine when our encounter happens. We can pray for an encounter, and seek to meet Him. We can (and should) ask Him to break into our lives, but He will be the one who ultimately decides when it happens.

The Sovereignty of Suddenly

We cannot miss, however, that when God breaks in, it is always a holy moment. As we will see in part 2, we are always left changed by these encounters. One reason we cannot dictate when these moments come, is because God has to prepare everything at that moment, to contain the weight of the glory He will bring.

I have had a handful of encounters with God over the years. Still, I want more. I wish they would happen regularly and on demand, but they don’t. However, when they do happen, it is always a holy moment (or hour, or day…). I think God has to determine when the encounter comes, because He alone knows what the encounter is going to bring into your life.

So don’t give up. You should be pursuing God for an encounter. Yet you must also be patient in the anticipation of Him showing up.

The Method of the Encounter

The other thing about an encounter with God, which we cannot control, is how God shows up in our life. For Paul, it was a bright light and a voice from heaven. It was the burning bush for Moses. Isaiah took a vision-trip into Heaven. For Mary, it was an angel coming to meet her with good news.

As we desire encounters from the Lord, it is easy to see the experience of others, and decide that we want our experience to be the same. Once again, however, it is the Lord who knows what He wants to bring to you in the encounter, and He will show up in the exact way He sees fit to deliver.

The Glory and the Fire

Some encounters are beautiful and glory-filled. Think about John’s vision in Revelation, and all the amazing things he was shown. Other encounters are fearful and even painful, just like Saul being knocked from his horse. Todd White recounts his own “baptism of fire,” where he was in excruciating pain, convinced God wanted to kill him. Many other personal encounters in history have been the same

I, myself, have received both of these versions. In an encounter in 2012, when Dr. Randy Clark of Global Awakening prayed for me, I slid down to the floor, and peacefully rested in the presence of the Holy Spirit, as His glory washed over me. What followed immediately was clear evidence of an impartation for healing. It was an amazing, holy encounter with God.

Just a few months later, however, in March of 2013, I was prayed for by Dr. Tom Jones, of Global Awakening. This time I was violently thrown to the floor, where for the next 3 hours my shoulder was continually slammed into the cement that was covered by only a thin veneer of carpet. I was bruised and sore for days. And the truth is, I am not sure what exactly was imparted to me in that event. Nevertheless, I know that God was meeting me.

God’s Perfect Plan

We know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). As we seek for an encounter with God, we must learn to wait for him to determine the perfect time and method to meet us. Again, these are holy moments. We don’t want to settle for a cheap imitation. And we certainly don’t want to get shortchanged in our rush for an experience with Him.

What I would encourage you to do is to look back over the encounters you have had in the past. It doesn’t have to be anything big. It may simply be the moment He called you to Himself in salvation. As you reflect on that encounter, I want you to take note of how only He could have put that moment together for you, and how He worked it out exactly as it needed to happen for you to receive.

As you pray for another encounter with God for your life today, hold on to the promise of His faithfulness to you, and trust that He has more He wants to give you when the time is right.

What About You?

In part two of this post, we will continue to look at Saul’s encounter with God, as we look at what happens during those holy moments. Although every encounter will be different, there are certain elements that we can expect from them all.

In the meantime, I would love to hear from you, with any stories you have of your own encounters with the Lord. It may be dreams, visions, angelic visitations, or even a face-to-face encounter with Christ. If the Lord allows you to share, I invite you to do so in the comments section below.

Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash

July 13 2019

How to Keep a Scripture Journal – Part 2

A. Scott Ingram Christian Life, Personal Discipleship Bible, Christianity, Jesus, Scripture 0

In part 1 we talked about the logistics involved to keep a scripture journal, which is simple enough, but if you took the initiative to do those things, you know there is still something missing: actually journaling.

In this post I will tell you the sections or the elements that I have used in my own scripture journal for years and how it all works together for my quiet.

For most of you, this is just a jumping off point. Experiment with it and change it around to fit your own prayer and reading life. I assure you, this is not how mine started, and I am sure it will change some more as time goes on.

Date

Start of by writing the date… simple enough. When you go back to re-read your journal, this will tell you when that log was entered. It will also act as a divider between what you write today and yesterday.

Scripture

Next to the date, write out the portion of scripture that you are reading for the day. It would look something like this:

“July 13, 2019 — Read Genesis 1-2”

Underneath this heading, you will begin the actual journaling of what God is showing you in your reading. Write out the portion of scripture which the Lord highlighted during your reading. This may be a long passage or a small section of a verse, but be specific about the passage. If it is only a small part of what you read that day, you may even write the portion out.

You should then write out at least a paragraph explaining what you feel like God is teaching you through this. It may be big, or small; something personal to you or a new knowledge of Him. It could be something that challenges your understanding, or it may be a clarification to something you have been struggling with for a while. Whatever it is, write it down. For example:

“In Genesis 1:26, God says “let us make man in our image.” It is interesting to me that God speaks of Himself in the plural, which I believe to be a reference to the Trinity. God exists in a personal, intimate community. Then again in Genesis 2:18, God says, “it is not good that the man should be alone.” So He created the woman. This first family was also the start of Christian community. There is something about being created in the image of God which requires humans to live together and work for one another’s good…”

Continue to write until you have put into words exactly what God is showing you. If you have read my post on the “R.E.A.P. Method,” this is the E: Examine.

Application

Next you will move on to the A of R.E.A.P.: Apply. Write out another paragraph to yourself exploring the personal application of this new truth, as the Holy Spirit leads. If God is the one speaking this to you, then how do you respond? What do you need to do TODAY with this truth? What does it look like in the next few days or weeks? This is where it gets introspective, leading to discipline and a plan for personal sanctification.

Praises

After your Bible time, you should begin to turn your focus to a time of prayer. For me a journal is not only a record of my time in the Word, but it is also a tool for my prayer time for that day.

Begin by thinking back over the previous day and writing down all the things that you are thankful for. If your prayer time is in the morning, this would be a reflection on the day before. If your prayer time is in the evening, then go over the day you are just finishing. Since we know that all good things come from God, this will guide you in your praise of Him. Be sure to write out specific praises here; not just generalities.

Struggles

This is where you have to be honest with yourself and confront sin. Again, this is looking over the previous day, but instead of looking at what good things God did, you will look at how you have messed up. How have you not walked closely with Him when you should have, or where have you given into temptations.

Now, just for reference, this isn’t always ‘big’ sins. Most of the time this is where I have to confront my pride, selfishness, anger or anxiety issues. A brief overview of my journal would reveal that usually this section is dealing with my failures in relationship with others, rather than with God. Whatever the Holy Spirit reveals, this is the place to get them out and deal with them in repentance. Remember, “His mercies are new every morning.”

Requests

This section is where you will list personal needs to bring to God. For me, it is where I write out my requests for grace on my own life for the new day. It may be events or projects I will be facing over the next few weeks and how I need God’s mercy to pull it off. It may be that I am getting sick, or stressed, or depressed and requests in that direction as well. Simply tell Him what you need from Him at this point. He wants to take care of you.

People

Finally, you will list any requests on behalf of other people. It may be that people have asked you to pray for them. Maybe you simply know someone is sick or having trouble at work, or even that there is sin in their lives pulling them away from God. This list is a place to remind yourself that you are part of the body of Christ and it is not all about you. I usually ask the Holy Spirit, “who do you want me praying for, today?” as well.

Placemarker

Technically, this is not a section in your prayer journal, but it is just as important. It is related to the Requests and People sections, but it is a standard list you pray for every day, that doesn’t really change on a daily or weekly basis. You won’t re-write this very often.

Take a half sheet of normal paper and form it into a kind of bookmark. On this sheet, write out the requests and people you pray for every day. You should write them out by name, in the following categories:

Family/Friends: List your spouse, kids, extended family members you pray for regularly, and any friends God lays on your heart for a season.
Intercessory Assignments: List out the people God has called you to intercede for regularly. For me, I have a small group of ministry friends around the world that I have an assignment to pray for regularly.
Church: Pastoral staff and families, long-term church goals and spiritual growth, community group, etc.
Work: bosses, co-workers, customers/clients, etc.
Lost People: Who are you asking God to save? Write them out here.
Projects/Events: Do you have any major things going on that need regular prayer? Maybe you are writing a book or working to fundraise for a mission trip next year. List the things that will be in your prayer journal for some time in this section.

Because this is a separate sheet of paper, it acts as my placemarker in the journal. Just move it from page to page as you go through.

Putting It All To Use

Once you have spent time in the Word, looked at how it applies to you, and have listed all of your prayer items, then take time walking through your list with God. This may take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour or more, depending on your personal prayer life.

I know it might sound like the process of writing everything out first might make it seem pretty impersonal. I have not found that to be the case. Instead, having it all there in front of you as you pray will help you to keep focused on prayer, and not get distracted with the other things around you.

Even though it sounds like a lot of writing, this usually only takes up about half a page in my journal. And again, you may not use all of these sections, or you may have more. The idea, though, is that this is a tool which will help you draw closer to God and to have a record of how far He has brought you. It is great to be able to look back in my journal from years ago, and remember what the Lord has done in me.

So what do you think? Is your prayer journal different than what you have done before? What would you change? More importantly, do you think you might try it? Let me know. The comment section is for you.

If you are enjoying what you are reading on my blog, I would be honored if you would subscribe to my weekly email, below. You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for blog updates!

(This post was originally published January 28, 2010. It has been revised and edited for reposting.)

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Category: Personal Discipleship

That is not, and cannot, be considered discipleship!

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The first part of this mandate is: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

This leads to the second part of Jesus’ mandate: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

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So what’s the point?

So what makes this different?

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So, what does all of this have to do with discipleship?

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What is Tithing?

Is Tithing a New Testament Requirement?

What the New Testament Does Command is Generosity and Financial Stewardship.

What Did Jesus Say About Giving?

If Jesus’ standard requires us to set the bar higher, what does that mean for our financial giving?

Maybe I can say it this way:

We don’t give to get something back.

So What Does All This Mean?

If You are a Christian, but You Do Not Give Financially to the Lord and His Work:

Why don’t you give to the Lord?

What does the Greek say?

A Shift in Meaning

Accessing God’s Temple

Becoming God’s Temple

Let’s Connect

1. Time

You have time for the secret place.

You have time to read.

We have to utilize the gift of time.

2. Financial Accountability

What about charity?

3. Social Media and Technology

A pandemic unlike any before.

Gifts for the Kingdom of God

A Personal Rebuke

This is a Call to Mindfulness

1. Get Comfortable in the Secret Place

2. Dig Deep in the Word of God

3. Become Your Own Worship Leader

We Have Time To Engage

The Presence and Power of God on Display

Rejecting the Presence

They sought a God they could control.

Replacing God with man.

Desiring the Power

Losing the Power?

Capturing God’s Power?

Still Rejecting the Presence

False teachings abound

No King but King Jesus

What about you?

Divine CONNECTIONS are Made

CONFUSION Arises Around Your Past

You are COMMISSIONED in the Work You Have Been Called To

You Walk Away with CLARITY

What is the Result?

Pursue the God of Encounters

What About You?

Element 1: God takes CONTROL

Element 2: We are overcome with CONVICTION

Other Examples

Element 3: We discover our CALLING

Seeking Your Encounter

Find out More

Saul’s Encounter

The Timing of the Encounter

The Sovereignty of Suddenly

The Method of the Encounter

The Glory and the Fire

God’s Perfect Plan

What About You?

Date

Scripture

Application

Praises

Struggles

Requests

People

Placemarker